


Do You Ever Stop And Think About Me?

by shiningvioletskies



Category: Victorious (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Small Town, F/F, First Meetings, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Inspired by Music, Internalized Homophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:02:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29228166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiningvioletskies/pseuds/shiningvioletskies
Summary: Jade and Tori were the only people who understood each other in their small town high school. Best friends since the day Jade found Tori huddled and crying by the football field. After high school, Jade moves on and gets out. Tori doesn't. But how much has really changed by the time they find each other again?Inspired by dorothea by Taylor Swift
Relationships: Tori Vega/Jade West
Kudos: 12





	1. Under The Bleachers

Tori ran onto the field and headed straight for the bleachers. She couldn't breathe. Everything was closing in on her. Fuck. 

She slid down in the opening between two of the metal slats in the stands and landed easily on the ground. Soon, she was sitting with her legs hugged into her chest. The world was blurry from her tears and she could feel water from the rainstorm the night before drip off the bleachers and onto her shoulders. Her thoughts were overwhelming, like a roomful of people all screaming at once. 

_What's wrong with you?  
How the hell did everything get so messed up?  
You're a monster.  
They'll find out._

____

She cried harder and started rocking back and forth. She didn't even notice another girl slipping through the bleachers a couple yards away. The other girl sat and looked over at Tori for a moment, before pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the pocket of her leather jacket. As the smoke started to curl from the girl's cigarette, Tori looked up and around to find the source of the scent, startling when her eyes landed on the girl. 

____

"Oh, sorry. Do you mind if I...?" the girl asked, gesturing to the cigarette in her mouth. 

____

"No. No, not at all. You're fine," Tori sniffled and looked back down at the ground, desperately trying not to cry again. The two girls sat in silence for a moment. 

____

"Are you okay?" 

____

"Yeah. Yeah I'm...I'm fine." 

____

"You sure about that? You don't look fine." 

____

"Thanks," Tori laughed humorlessly. 

____

"You know what I mean." 

____

"Why do you care?" 

____

"Who says I do? Maybe I'm just bored. Want to hear some drama. Y'know." 

____

"Forget it. It doesn't matter." 

____

"But now I want to know! Come on, what is it? Boy trouble?" 

____

"Well...I..." 

____

"Yeah?" 

____

"I'm gay," Tori blurted. She gasped and covered her mouth. _Shit._

____

"Oh..." 

____

"Yeah. Oh..." 

____

"That's not what I was expecting." 

____

"Me, neither. I don't know why I told you that. I don't even know your name. And I've never, y'know, admitted it before." 

____

"Oh." 

____

"It's okay if you want to run away now. You didn't know before, but I get it. If you don't want to be around me." 

____

The girl rolled her eyes, "I'm not going anywhere." 

____

"You're not?" Tori finally looked back up. "Why? You heard me, didn't you?" 

____

"Yeah. But I don't give a shit. Why would I care?" The girl echoed Tori's words from earlier. 

____

"Oh." 

____

"I mean, if you want me to leave, I-" the girl started teasingly. 

____

Tori interrupted her, "No. Stay. Please. I could use a friend right now..." 

____

"Alright. I'll stay." 

____

Tori smiled while the other girl moved closer to her. Just a little. Barely close enough to touch their fingertips together. But it was enough. 

____

"Hey, I still don't know your name," Tori said after a few minutes. 

____

"And I don't know yours." 

____

"It's Tori. Tori Vega." 

____

"Jade West. Nice to meet you, Tori."

____


	2. Making A Lark Of The Misery

Jade leaned against the wall outside the door to Tori's fourth period class. Literature, a class both of them actually liked. She watched the seconds on the clock at the end of the hall tick away. Seven seconds. Six seconds. Five, four, three, two. The bell rang out and doors up and down the hall swung open, kids streaming out to head to their next classes. Jade pushed away from the wall as soon as she heard Tori's voice saying goodbye to her teacher. She rolled her eyes. That was just like her. 

As soon as Tori crossed the threshold, Jade grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the flow of traffic. The girl yelped, but relaxed when she realized the hand gripping her so tightly belonged to Jade. 

"Hey! Shouldn't you be headed to biology?" Tori nudged her friend playfully. "It's at the other end of the building, you'll be late." 

"Eh, screw biology. Wanna skip?" 

"Jade!" Tori admonished. "We can't skip. I need to go to math and you have a unit final next week." 

"Yeah, but that's next week. I can study all weekend. I'll even let you quiz me on flashcards!" 

"Jade..." 

"C'mon, please?" 

"Fine! But don't blame me when you fail your test." 

"Yes! Let's go, come on," Jade pulled Tori down the hall, to the back exit where they were least likely to be caught ditching. As soon as the door slammed shut behind them, Jade broke into a sprint down the hill and away from the school. Tori ran after her, trying to keep up. 

"Jade!" Tori panted. "Wait for me!" 

"Just run faster, Vega! You snooze, you lose." 

"You're the worst!" 

"I know, that's why you love me." 

Tori rolled her eyes and kept running. 

Finally, they reached the park at the bottom of the hill and collapsed on the ground against a tree. They looked at each other and started to laugh. They calmed down after a minute and sat there, trying to catch their breath. 

Tori turned so her shoulder was pressed against the tree and she was looking at her friend. 

"So..." she started. 

"Yeah?" 

"Why are we here?" 

"I didn't want to go to class. What kind of question is that?" 

"Jade, we both know that's not it. I know you better than that. Now tell me what's going on." 

"It's...it's nothing. Just my mom again." 

"She's been home lately?" 

"Yeah. Taking a break from tormenting the rest of the world so she can focus on tormenting me, I guess." 

"Shit. I'm sorry, Jade." 

"Yeah, it's whatever," Jade sighed. 

Tori moved over a little bit, turning her back to the tree again, and wrapped her arms around the girl's shoulders. 

"So..." she started, "you'll never believe what I overheard Tiffany telling Trina in the hallway this morning." 

Jade shook her head and looked up at the other girl, ready to hear whatever idiotic thing the school was on about today. 

"What?"


End file.
